The Kirkus Prize is one of the richest literary awards in the world, with a prize of $50,000 bestowed annually to authors of fiction, nonfiction and young readers’ literature. It was created to celebrate the 81 years of discerning, thoughtful criticism Kirkus Reviews has contributed to both the publishing industry and readers at large. Books that earned the Kirkus Star with publication dates between November 1, 2015, and October 31, 2016 (see FAQ for exceptions), are automatically nominated for the 2016 Kirkus Prize, and the winners will be selected on November 3, 2016, by an esteemed panel composed of nationally respected writers and highly regarded booksellers, librarians and Kirkus critics.

KIRKUS REVIEW

A jaunty tour through an urban
construction site extends the best-selling picture book's audience to young app users.

The scene is a building site. The
characters are Crane Truck, Cement Mixer, Bulldozer, Excavator and Dump Truck
(all proper names, by the way). They toil all day, and via the touch screen,
each element on the screen is identified: the vehicles, the construction site,
the building under construction. The identifying words range from
simple—puddle, rock—to the more challenging: spigot, hook block, heap,
concrete. After the day’s work is done, the vehicles take a well-earned rest,
set to couplets: “Turn off your engines, stop your tracks, / Relax your wheels,
your stacks, and backs.” The Crane Truck holds a teddy in its bumper, the Cement
Truck has a security blanket, and the rest of the vehicles are tucked into the
dirt. It’s a pretty cozy scene, drawn with what feels like the side edge of a
colored-pencil’s lead and animated with admirable restraint. With its
surprising but manageable complexity, identifiable characters and pleasingly
chaotic construction site, this is one of those deceiving apps that will exceed
expectations, delivering the entertainment goods each time. Adding to the
merriment is the plinking piano and xylophonelike soundtrack.

Watching a bunch of trucks at work.
Life doesn’t get much better. And these guys talk to you. (iPad storybook
app. 3-6)

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